Too Much to Live For
by Robrafgon
Summary: No time to die. Got too much to live for. A man's quest to reclaim his life, a quest that will forever change the Wasteland. This is a retelling of the New Vegas story with an OC replacing the Courier.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Cass was drunk.

Again.

Her recent days had been spent in a whiskey induced stupor. Usually she could hold her liquor. Usually didn't apply when she'd spent the better part of two weeks pickling her liver at the outpost's bar.

Not that it was her choice. She would have much rather been drunk at any other bar, but here she was stuck at the Mojave Outpost and spending another night drinking.

"Paper-pushing fuck." Cass muttered under her breath.

Her ire was directed at Major Knight. The good major had put the caravaneers on lock down. The roads were too dangerous and the outpost just didn't have enough troops to secure them. Knight was a by the book individual and Cass' status as a caravan owner meant she couldn't leave the outpost.

"You doin' all right there, Cass?" Asked Lacey, the bartender.

"Fuck off and bring me another bottle."

Cass had no desire to talk to Lacey, or for that matter anyone else in the outpost's bar. She just wanted to keep drinking.

The door clattered open and she heard footsteps enter. The outpost was a well traveled area and many groups would stop in the bar to purchase supplies and water up, but rarely this late at night and rarely alone.

Cass looked at the new comer from under the brim of her hat.  
He was clad in a pair of khaki pants with armored knee pads and an empty hip holster. Many visitors at Mojave Outpost left there weapons to be repairs with Major Knight. He wore a light brown jacket that came down just past his holster. Underneath he wore some serious looking body armor. It was well maintained and looked manufactured not homemade like most things in the Mojave Wasteland. A red scarf was tied around his neck and had a pair of sun glasses hanging from it. His hair was short cropped and sat unkempt atop his tanned skin. Cass looked into his eyes and was stopped in her tracks. This man's eyes gave no indication as to what he'd seen or done.

Lacey placed another bottle down in front of Cass and welcomed the late night visitor.

"Howdy, stranger! Anything I can get for you?"

The man sat down on the bar stool next to Cass and put his pack on the floor.

"Refill on my canteen, some cooked food, and Sarsaparilla if you got it."

"Coming right up."

Lacey busied herself refilling his water canteen and preparing his meal. She brought over a bottle of Sunset Sarsaparilla for the man and set it down.

"Thanks."

He uncapped the bottle and took a swig. He sighed with contentment.

Cass hiccuped and snorted.

The man cast a wry look over the drunken wreck next to him.

"Want some? Or is it not strong enough for you?"

Cass slowly raised her middle finger to the stranger and drained her whiskey before opening up her next bottle.

The man gave a tired grin.

"I thought so."

Lacey bustled over with a steak, hoping to avoid losing a customer to Cass.

"Don't mind her. She's not exactly in her right mind at the moment."

"I see."

"Not that it matters. Drunk or sober, Cass isn't exactly the warm, friendly type."

"Well, we don't live in a warm, friendly world."

The man picked up a fork and knife and started in on the steak. Lacey could tell the conversation was over and went over to deal with the rest of her patrons.

Cass sat in silence next to the man for several minutes. He eating his food and she drinking her alcohol.

Cass was about to bluntly ask the man why he was at the outpost, but he broke the silence first.

"Those three guys at the table behind us are getting awfully interested in you."

Cass cast a eye over her shoulder and saw here were in fact three men at a table looking her way.

"So? Why the fuck should I care?"

The man didn't look away from his steak.

"Just thought I'd let you know. Bars in the middle of the night aren't safe places."

"I can take care of myself!"

"I'm sure you can. However, I'm not sure if you can even stand. And a drunk lady invites more trouble than most."

"What's that got to do with it?"

"If your parents never explained that one to you, then I'm not sure I want to."

"Hey! Fuck y-"

Cass was cut off by a hand on her shoulder. She turned away from the stranger to see one of the three men from the table.

"Hey there, good looking. How about you come spend some time with us?"

"How about not."

Cass brushed his hand away and went back to her whiskey.

The other two men got up from the table and approached.

"I don't think you're quite taking my hint."

"I'm sure I am."

"Listen, you red-headed bitch. You're going to come with us if you know what's good for you."

He spun Cass around in her bar stool so she was facing the three of them. All three of them were armed and dressed in mercenary's garb. They must have come in with a caravan and now lost their contract due to Major Knight's order. Her drunken mind was ready to start an all out brawl despite her slim chances of coming out beneficially from it.

"Let's go, bitch." The leader grabbed her arm and pulled her to her feet.

Cass grabbed her whiskey bottle with her free hand and swung it at his face. One of his men stopped her arm mid flight.

He smiled and said, "You're going to pay for that later, bitch."

For the first time a sense of dread began to grow in Cass' mind. The three of them pulled her towards the door. As they passed the stranger he pushed his pack from under his chair in front of them with his foot. One of the hoodlums tripped on it and fell on his face. The other two whirled around to look at the newcomer to their conflict. The man in the brown coat did not turn to look at them or show any reaction to what he just did at all. He just took another sip from his sarsaparilla.

"Bad move, jackass. Very bad move." Said the thug who'd tripped. He reached a hand for the man, but before he could grasp his jacket something happened.

The stranger wrapped his own arm around the one reaching towards him and placed his hand on the back of the thug's head. He slammed the thug's head down on the bar top smashing his sarsaparilla and cutting up the thug's face in the process.

The thug slumped to the ground, bleeding and unconscious.

"Wow." Said Cass.

"You son of a bitch!" Shouted the leader of the small band.

Lacey backed away from the bar frantically shouting, "Take it outside guys! Take it outside!"

The two remained mercenaries charged the man. He punched the leader in the face and the other tackled him. Right out through a window. He landed on his back and rolled to his feet. Cass stumbled out the door and leaned on the frame, taking another swig from her whiskey. The leader lunged out the door only to have Cass break her bottle behind his head. He collapsed like a stone into the dirt.

The stranger reached for his gun only to find it gone, left with Major Knight.

"Damn it." He said under his breath.

The last thug rushed him and tackled him again. The man rammed his elbow onto his attacker's head several times to get him to let go. The stranger kneed him in the face to get him to fall back.

"Here catch."

Cass tossed him an empty bottle. The man caught it and raised it to end the fight.

A shot rang out and the bottle exploded into a million pieces. The brawlers all froze and looked up to the roof of the bar. A scary looking ranger peered down at them, her rifle shouldered. Major Knight and several troops ran out of the main outpost building.

"What is going on out here?!" He shouted.

"This is the last straw, Cass. No more. You're done here at Mojave Outpost."

"Fuck you, Ghost."

Another man walked out of the outpost. The other soldiers, Major Knight and Ranger Ghost included, all stopped and saluted.

"Ranger Jackson, sir!" Said Major Knight.

Ranger Jackson saw the commotion and sighed. He looked at Cass and put a hand on his face, massaging his temples.

"Cass, you said you wouldn't be a problem. And you! Who the hell are you?"

The stranger lowered his raised hands.

"Name's Rob. Just passing through."

"Not anymore you're not. Cass, you too. Both of you inside. The idiots who can't stand toss em in a cell. Lets go!"

The soldiers bustled Cass and Rob into the outpost behind Ranger Jackson.

"Pleasure to-hiccup-meet you, Rob."

"I blame you for this."

Cass just drunkenly smiled and slumped against the soldier guiding her. Rob sighed and entered the outpost.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Cass and Rob sat in front of a fuming Ranger Jackson. He stood behind his desk reprimanding them and threatening all manner of punishment. Cass was the main focus of Jackson's tirade.

"Cass, you've provoked your last fight here. You're someone else's problem from now on. I want no part in dealing with whatever insanity you decide to make me deal with again."

Ranger Jackson paced back and forth behind his desk. He took his ranger's hat off and placed it on a cabinet behind him. Cool grey eyes stared at the two unfortunates in front of him.

"However, I'm not supposed to let you go because the roads aren't clear and your caravan status, but I'm making a damned exception. I'm revoking your status as a caravaneer."

For the first time in Jackson's lecture Cass sat up and paid attention.

"Bullshit! You can't take my caravan away from me!"

"I can, I will, and I did. Besides, haven't you been yowling in the bar for two weeks about how you have no caravan anyway? And why you should be kept here? It's just a name."

"That name is all I have! Cassidy Caravans is all I have!"

"Not anymore Miss Cassidy!"

Cass planted her arms on her chair to stand up, but instead overbalanced and fell to the floor. She didn't move. Rob and Jackson looked at her until snores could be heard.

"Well, this is just fucking perfect."

Rob looked away from Cass and back to Jackson, both men ignored the ignoble position of Cass.

"What about me?"

"What about you? You got in a brawl in my outpost. Time to suck it up and pay the piper."

"Oh come on! I didn't start that fight! Ask anybody! The bartender! She saw what happened, ask her."

Jackson sat down in his chair and crossed his arms.

"Lacey is exactly who I asked and according to her, you started it. One man down with a broken nose, split lip, and fractured eye socket. Another out with a dislocated jaw. And the last is so concussed he can't tell us his own name."

"Well, shit."

Jackson stroked his mustache thoughtfully.

"However, because of extenuating circumstances I am willing to be a bit more lenient than usual. Cass might be a drunken fool, but you got her out of a pinch. That being said. The law is still the law. You broke it."

Rob leaned back in his chair and slumped.

"Come on, Ranger Jackson. I'm a nobody. I got mixed up in this cause I'm a good guy."

"Thought you were a nobody."

"Exactly. Can't you let me off with a warning or community service or something?"

"A warning? Do I look like I'm running a fucking daycare?"

"Fine. I've got a debt to pay with you then. There's got to be something I can do to pay it. You said the roads aren't clear, maybe I can do something about that."

Jackson stroked his mustache again, giving thought to Rob's proposal. If the roads were clear the caravans could begin moving again. He hadn't been able to spare any men to do the job, but an outsider might be the solution he was looking for. Especially one he wouldn't have to pay.

"We've got ants."

"What?"

"Ants."

"You've got ants?"

"Big ants, dumbass. The road is crawling with them. If you can find it in your heart to commit suicide by ant and be someone else's problem, fine. Our debt is squared."

"Fantastic."

"You seem confident."

"It's just ants. I can deal with ants."

"Right. Now get out."

Rob stood to leave. But paused next to the unconscious Cass.

"What about her?"

Jackson poked Cass with his boot. When there was no response he answered.

"I'm getting her paperwork sorted. Tomorrow, she's gone. Her caravan will be kept in lockdown by the NCR. All privileges granted to her as a caravaneer will be revoked until she pays a fine and buys back Cassidy Caravans. We're putting her to the wind."

Rob nodded and turned towards the door, but hesitated and turned back.

"How do you know I won't just take off and leave you with your ant problem?"

Jackson steepled his fingers and looked Rob in the eye. Like Cass he couldn't get a read on the man who had wandered into Mojave Outpost.

"You're either going to kill them all or you're gonna get eaten. There's no way around it. But like you said you're a good guy."

"Thought I was a nobody."

"Get the hell out of my office."

Rob exited the outpost and headed back towards the guests' barracks. He turned a corner and ran into the woman who had shot the bottle out of his hand.

"Ah-Hello. Ranger Ghost was it?"

Ghost wasn't one for small talk.

"So I guess Jackson didn't decide to fry your ass."

"No he did not."

"Huh. Not what I would have done."

"Yeah. You're not a very nice person are you?"

Ghost smirked at him. She brushed past and walked away.

"By the way, Knight said that if you weren't getting shot or sent to NCRCF that your guns are fixed."

"Oh! Thanks, Ghost."

"Go fuck yourself."

Rob turned and continued to the barracks. As he walked he mused to himself, "Are all the women at this outpost this friendly?"

With that thought he entered the barracks and collapsed on an empty bunk.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Sign here."

"And here."

"Initial here."

"And once more here."

Rob dropped the pencil on the desk finally done filling out Major Knight's paperwork. He'd gone in to retrieve his guns, but little did he know that Knight's forms would take the better part of an hour.

"All right, the paper work seems to be in order and you're no longer under arrest so I can return your firearms to you. One modified marksman carbine. We repaired the crack in the stock and cleaned the barrel. 200 caps. And one custom made automatic revolver. We replaced the screws for the motor and put a new battery in. It should be good on that charge for several years. 450 caps."

Rob stopped with his hand in his caps bag.

"Say what?"

"450 caps."

"You said you put some new screws in it. How is that 450 caps?"

"The screws aren't exactly easy to find. "

"I'm not paying 450 caps."

Knight placed his hand on the pistol and pulled it towards himself.

"Then you're not getting your gun."

Rob was about to protest when an irate and hungover Cass was escorted past and out the door.

"Fuck you! You're just gonna kick me out! You can't do that!"

Knight and Rob watched them pass. Knight sighed.

"I should probably go deal with that."

"Yeah, you do that."

Knight stepped out from behind his station and followed the soldiers escorting Cass out. Rob waited until the door was shut before reaching over the counter to retrieve his gun. He looked around to make sure no one was watching and slipped his pistol into his holster. He strapped his carbine to his pack and slung it over his shoulder. Giving the straps one quick pull to tighten it he walked out the door and into the Mojave sunlight.

Mojave Outpost was bustling with activity. Soldiers were carrying crates of ammunition and supplies to the back of the outpost. Caravaneers were prepping their Brahmin. Apparently Jackson did have faith in Rob's ability to clear the road.

That or he was hoping Rob would be a big enough distraction to get some of the caravans past the insects.

His eyes watered in the bright desert sunlight so he un clipped his sunglasses from his bandana and placed them over his eyes.

He headed towards the Unification Statues and towards the road. Rob waved at Ranger Ghost as she peered down at him from her perch atop the bar.

Ghost placed two fingers in her eyes and then pointed at him, the universal 'I'm watching you' sign.

Rob just smiled and kept walking.

He crossed through the shade of the statues and that was it he was out of Mojave Outpost. Back on the road after a brief detour to squash some bugs.

"Hey wait up a second!"

Rob turned around to see Cass sprinting towards him, her pack bouncing up and down. She reached him and bent over panting.

"Whew. Glad I caught you, Rod."

"Rob."

"Whatever. Look where are you headed?"

"That way."

"Aw come on. No need to be a jerk."

"I'm going to New Vegas."

"Perfect! I'm headed to the Crimson Caravan Company!"

"I'm so happy for you. Why is this perfect?"

"You can keep me company."

Rob raised his eyebrows above the ridge of sunglasses.

"Yeah, I don't think that's gonna happen."

"Hey, please, Rob. I've got nothing. Nothing. And the only way I'm going to get to the Crimson Caravan is with someone else. I'm not crossing the wastes by myself. Plus I'm handy with a gun, I'm a decent cook, and I have contacts along the road."

Rob pondered what she was saying for a moment. He turned his back to her.

"Please. You saved my life last night. Let me go with you."

Rob grit his teeth and scrunched his eyes shut.

"Fine!"

"I can help- wait did you say yes?"

"Please don't make me regret it."

"You wont!"

"I'm sure I will."

Rob and Cass started down the road weaving in between rusted and bombed out cars. It was several minutes before Rob called out to halt.

"What's up?"

Rob un shouldered his back and unstrapped his carbine. He checked the clip and then slid his pack back on.

"Time to get to work."

"What work?"

Rob racked the gun, putting a bullet in the chamber. He walked over to a car wreck and balanced his barrel on it.

"Cass, your punishment was getting kicked out and losing your caravan. Mine is this."

"What's this?" Cass asked.

"Ants." Said Rob as he peered through his scope.

Rob's eyes widened in surprise.

"Some big... Damned... Ants... Damn it, Jackson."

Cass unshouldered her shotgun nervously. She bit her lip and peered done below the broken over pass where Rob was scoping out.

"Ants? I don't like bugs. How big? Like bigger than a breadbox?"

"Yep. Hopefully we can pick them off from here though."

Rob squeezed the trigger once. 100 meters down road an ant the size of a German Shepard exploded. He shot again.

"This shouldn't take long. Watch my back Cass."

"Yeah, no probeeeaaAAAGGGHHH!"

Cass whirled around and was face to face with an ant the size of a cow. It's pincers clicked menacingly. She unloaded both rounds of her shotgun into its armored hide, but the ant just shook it off.

"Shit!"

Rob dropped his carbine and drew his pistol. He ran forward, pushing Cass out of the way. He stomped the ants head down to the cracked cement, pinning the massive insect. He put his gun to its head and pulled the trigger three times. The ants brains exploded out from the bottom of its jaws.

"Cass, you okay?" He hollered.

"Yeah I'm good. Damn bugs. I fucking hate ants.

"Good. We're about to have company though."

Rob pulled Cass to her feet. She reloaded her shotgun and Rob picked up his carbine. He kneeled and put the scope to his eye. At least six of the monstrous ants were stampeding towards them.

"Ready to play bug stomper?"

Rob crippled the legs of one ant and blasted the antenna of another causing it to turn on its fallen brethren. The other four continued to gain ground. When the ants were almost upon them Cass unloaded her shotgun on the lead one, turning its head to mulch.

"Fuck you!" She shouted with vindictive glee. After the first ant had caused her a scare she was glad to be returning the favor.

Rob slung his rifle and drew his pistol. Quickly shooting and reloading, he dispatched another two ants.

"Get down, Cass!"

Cass ducked as Rob leveled his pistol at the last ant. The revolver blasted out a slug that shattered the ants cranium. Insect grey matter splattered the roadside.

"Holy fuck, Rob. Warn a girl next time you decide to do that."

"I did warn you."

"Ha. Right. I think I need a drink."

"I don't think I like drunk you."

"Too bad."

Cass reached in her pack and uncorked a bottle of booze. She took a swig before stowing it.

With Rob's debt to society paid, the two wanderers continued down the highway towards Primm. The Mojave sun beat down upon them, but soon began to settle on the horizon. Rob decided to make camp before the sun was fully down. He wasn't keen on traveling at night anyway, even less so with Cass in tow.

The two settled down on top off an overhang. Rob started a small fire and they cooked a gecko that had the misfortune of surprising Cass.

The sun set and darkness shadowed the Wasteland. Rob and Cass sat next to their campfire. Cass stared into the flames slowly slipping her whiskey. Rob sat across from her sharpening a knife.

"Cass?"

Cass looked up from the fire.

"What's up?"

"What's the deal with your caravan? Ranger Jackson told me it was in lock up, but I also gathered that something had happened to it. What's the story?"

Cass looked back into the fire, her expression going somber.

"Cassidy Caravans. I started Cassidy Caravans by myself. No help. Not my mother. She didn't know how to run a caravan. And definitely not my father. All he gave me was a name. Rose of Sharon Cassidy. And this."

She gestured emphatically with her whiskey bottle.

"When I got to the Mojave business was good. I did good work trading water. Until the raids started. Between the Vipers, the Jackals, and the Fiends the only safe caravans are the Legion's. While they don't have a good stance on women, politics, or pretty much anything else, they do know how to protect a caravan. The NCR just kept us all cooped up at Mojave Outpost. While I was stuck there my caravans were hit. Burned to the ground. Bodies, Brahmin, and everything. Knight wouldn't let me leave the outpost to figure out what had happened. Everything I built is now ashes."

Cass' voice caught and she took another swig of whiskey.

"Cass, I'm sorry. I had no idea."

"Why should you be sorry? No way you could've known. I spent the time since then in a whiskey bottle."

A tear rolled down the side of her face.

Rob was blown away to see the belligerent women he'd met the night before turn to this.

"If you ever tell anyone I'm crying I'm going to rip off your balls and show them to you."

Right back in his comfort zone.

"Cass if you ever want help finding out what happened to your caravan-"

"No. It's dust. Nothing's going to change that. I'm going to the Crimson Caravan and I'm selling them the name Cassidy Caravans. They can buy it back from the NCR. I can at least get a few caps for a name. Then I can go find a bar and forget all about it."

"Cass, maybe-"

"I know. I'm a drunken idiot. Every time I've got something good I wipe it all away with whiskey. People used to call me Whiskey Rose. Not anymore though. At least not to my face."

Silence filled the night air for a second.

"Have you ever considered giving it up?"

Cass furrowed her brow, but didn't look away from the coals in the fire.

"Course I have. I just... Can't."

Rob stared at the wreck across from him. He held his hand out.

"Give it here."

Cass looked up.

"What?"

"The bottle. Give it here."

"Why?"

"I'm helping you. Come on. Give it."

Cass looked at the bottle and gingerly handed it to Rob. He uncorked it and poured it into the dirt. Cass watched it go with something between longing and hatred.

"You got anymore?"

"One."

"Give it. It's getting poured out too."

"Just one last drink?"

"Nuh uh. Gimme."

She pulled the last bottle out of her bag and handed it Rob. He threw it out over the road. They heard the glass break and the last of Cass' whiskey disappear.

Rob smiled at Cass.

"I'm going to get you to the Crimson Caravan Company and I'm going to get you there sober."

"Thanks, Rob."

"No problem."

"Hey, Rob?"

"Yeah?"

"What's your story?"

"My story? My story is none of your business."

Cass looked him in the eye in disbelief.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me. I just poured my heart out to you. The least you can do is reciprocate a little bit.

Rob smirked.

"Or I could not."

"Bastard."

"Good night, Cass."

"Fuck you."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Wakey, wakey."

Cass scrunched her eyes shut and rolled over. She clasped at her jacket, which she was using as a blanket, but felt it get pulled off of her.

"Up and at em, Cass."

Cass opened her eyes in time to catch a roll Rob tossed at her.

"Breakfast." He said pointing at the biscuit.

Cass sat up and ruffled her red hair. She picked her cowboy hat out of the dirt and beat some sand off of it before placing it on her head.

"Thanks."

She bit into the roll and chewed the slightly stale bread.

"Where to today?"

Rob was finishing stowing his gear in his pack. He looked up at her.

"I wanna make it to Primm by nightfall. We can catch a room there for the night and a hella good meal too."

Cass raised her eyebrows and pointed to the roll in her hand.

"Let's hope so."

"What? Not a fan? I got these rolls back in Goodsprings. Best rolls in the whole Wasteland."

"Yeah? When was that?"

"I don't know. Two weeks ago?"

"Great."

She tears another bite off the roll and chews it up as well.

Rob gives her a hand and pulls her to her feet. Cass grabs her jacket off the ground and puts it on. Rob does the same. They stow their weapons, shoulder their packs, and step back onto the road.

It's easy going for the first part if the day. The cars were evenly spaced and didn't require to much climbing or scrambling over. Rob had spotted a feral ghoul at one point and they'd attempted to skirt around, but the rabid creature had caught their scent. Cass scrabbled to unshoulder her shotgun, but before she could Rob had drawn his pistol and put a bullet between its eyes.

"Jesus, you're quick on the draw." She remarked in admiration.

"Yeah, I've had my fair share of people shoot at me so I thought it wise to be able to shoot back."

"I'll say. By the way, your pistol, I've never seen anything like it. What is it?"

"That gun."

"Yes. That gun."

"No, Cass, that's its name. A stupid name I know. My daughter came up with it before- before I- well, it was a while ago."

Cass stopped walking.

"What? I didn't know you had a daughter. I mean you weren't exactly keen on telling me anything about yourself."

Rob stopped as well. He had his back to her and Cass could tell he hadn't meant to let this slip.

"I- I have- had a daughter. She's gone now."

He turned to face Cass and the look in his eyes spoke volumes about how hopeless he felt.

"Rob, I'm so sorry. I didn't know."

"No need for you to be sorry. It wasn't your fault."

Rob suddenly stopped talking. He slowly raised his pistol again. Cass gripped her shotgun tighter.

"What is it?" She asked.

"I don't know, but we're not alone."

They surveyed the area back to back trying to find what had spooked Rob.

Rob could hear a faint whistling.

"GET DOWN!"

Rob tackled Cass to the ground behind the cover of a car. Suddenly the air was on fire as the world exploded. The grenade had been fired from the nearby cliff side.

From all around raiders ran towards them. Some were armed with spears, others with knives, and the rest with guns. The shots began to fly at Cass and Rob.

Rob kneeled and began to pick off the raiders. A spear whistled through the air and impaled itself in the car the two were hiding behind. A clear liquid was dripping from the spearhead.

"Vipers." Rob whispered to himself.

"Get behind me!" He yelled. "And don't let any of their blades touch you. They're poisoned!"

Cass nodded her understanding as she blasted a Viper in the chest and once more in the head to make sure he stayed down. Rob whirled around to open fire on their left flank, but instead saw a Viper slamming his hand on the side of a light machine gun, clearly trying to clear a jam. The Viper smiled and shouldered the rifle. The jam was clear.

"Son of a bitch." Rob whispered under his breath.

"Cass, look out!" he shouted as the machine gun began to fire.

He lunged over another car towards his companion, asphalt exploding around him. He got to Cass and swallowed her in a bear hug. The bullets shredded his jacket and pinged off of his body armor. He placed a gauntlet end hand behind his head and felt a bullet ricochet off of one of his fingers, breaking it in the process. He grunted with each impact of the bullets on his body.

The gunfire petered out. The remaining Vipers all looked at one another. Nearly three quarters off their raiding party had been taken out by the two travelers. They cautiously stepped forward through the carnage.

Rob panted on his knees, still covering Cass with his body. He could hear the footsteps of the Vipers approaching. He had to get up. He had to stand and fight or this was it and he wasn't going to die here. Not yet.

"Are they dead?" One of the Vipers called.

"Not sure." Said the one with the machine gun. Then his head exploded in a puff of brains and skull.

Time seemed to slow down as the VATS system kicked in. Rob strode to his feet, raising his gun as if it were under water. He selected his targets.

Bang.

Another Viper's head exploded.

Bang.

Another.

Bang.

Another.

Click. Click. His pistol was empty. He dropped that gun and whirled around the Viper he'd shot at point blank. He reached into one of his belt pouches and pulled out a pair of spiked knuckles. He slipped them on and decked one of the raiders in the jaw. The mans mouth crumpled in a bloody mess and the second punch dropped him.

One viper ran forward and attempted to spear Rob in the ribs. The spear shattered on his armor. A violent uppercut later and the man was dead.

Rob stopped and time caught up to him. He turned to look at Cass.

Her face was caught in mixture of amazement and horror at the pure human destruction she had just witnessed.

"Rob... Holy fuck... You just..." She couldn't finish her sentence.

Rob took a step towards her.

"You okay, Cass?"

Before she could answer, his face changed to a look of panic.

"CASS! MOVE!"

Cass started to turn. A Viper was hurdling over the car she was ducked behind. He stabbed her in the back. Cass screamed in pain and dropped to the ground. The Viper pulled out a nine millimeter pistol and aimed it at her head.

Rob was running towards them, but he wasn't going to make it.

He spotted a revolver on the ground. He dove and rolled, picking it up in the process. The Viper's chest entered his sights and he pulled the trigger.

The Viper above Cass rocked backward as slug after slug pounded into his chest. He fell over backwards. Dead.

Rob ran over to her.

"Cass! Cass!"

She balled up on the ground as he pulled the blade out.

"It burns!" She moaned.

Rob tore off his pack and rummaged in it.

"Stay with me, Cass! You're going to be all right. Just stay with me!"

He pulled out a stimpak and jabbed it near the wound. He pushed the plunger in.

Tears welled up in Cass' eyes.

"Make it stop please! Make it stop! Just make it- please... Just stop..."

"Cass? CASS?!"

Rob pulled her pack off and tied it to his. He threw them both on his back. He slung her shotgun and his carbine as well. He snatched That Gun off the ground and holstered it.

"Just hold on, Cass!"

Rob knelt on the ground and picked Cass up, cradling her to his chest. He lifted her smaller body and started to walk.

"You're gonna be all right, Cass. I'm going to get you help."

He kept walking.

Cass' eyes rolled in the back off her head and back. The poison was doing its job.

"Hey, Cass. I need you to stay awake, alright?"

Cass mumbled to him.

"Hey, I'll tell you what. You wanted to know my story, right? Well, I'll tell it to you. You just have to stay awake."

Cass looked up at him.

"It's a deal." She mumbled deliriously.

"Alright. I was born in a vault. Vault 114. It was a decent place I guess. Clean. It had technology. You didn't have to worry about dying as much as you do out here. That's where I built That Gun. And where I got this armor. That's cool, isn't it, Cass?"

Her eyes flickered a little in response.

"Hey, Cass! Stay awake okay? Anything you want to know?"

"Tell me about your daughter."

"I-Alright. Her name was Gabriela. I married her mother, Isabel, when I was twenty. Gabriela was born when I was twenty-two. We got in a lot of trouble with the Overseer because there was only so much room down in that vault, but everyone let it slide. She looked a lot like her Mom, except for her skin. She's dark-skinned like me. She liked to watch me work down in the shop sometimes. She was getting a real knack for machines as she grew up. I think- I think she'd be sixteen now."

Rob's voice choked a bit.

Cass opened her eyes a crack.

"What happened?" She mumbled.

"There-there was an accident. The air scrubbing system blew. Myself and some of the other mechanics did a little repair on it, but it was only a stopgap measure. People began to get restless. The Overseer was losing control. It was decided that someone would have to leave the vault. To find the parts to fix the system."

"You?"

"Yeah, me and several others. But everything didn't go according to plan. Remember how I said the Overseer was losing it. He didn't agree with the plan. He didn't want anyone leaving. I disagreed with him. He didn't like this. He already didn't like me cause of, you know, my daughter, but he just glowered in silence when he was outvoted."

Rob stopped talking again.

"Then what happened?" Asked Cass.

"On the day we were supposed to leave. I hugged my daughter. I hugged my wife. I stepped out into the Wasteland. The first man from our vault to do so in a long time. And the door shut behind me. The Overseer shut the door. And he locked it. I couldn't get in. And they couldn't get out. Trapped in that giant metal tomb, running out of air."

Rob blinked tears from his eyes. He hadn't told this story to anyone in a long while.

"That's a really sad story, Rob."

"Ha! Cass, you must be losing it. I'd expect you to tell me to suck it up."

"Suck it up." She mumbled.

"That's more like it. Cass?"

Cass' breathing had slowed and gotten even more ragged.

"Cass! Come on! Stay with me, damn it!"

Rob picked up his feet faster, breaking into a trot with the quickly fading Cass in his arms.

"Stay with me, Cass!"

"Please. Don't leave me."

"Don't leave me."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The broom swished across the cracked concrete. Dust and pebbles were shooed to the side so that the entrance to the Mojave Express would be clear. Johnson Nash stood straight and leaned on his broom. He wiped a sleeve across his forehead. Sweat shone on his wrinkly black skin.

"I'm too damned old to work like this." He admitted to the Wasteland.

"Good morning to you, Mr. Nash."

Nash looked over to see the town's deputy strolling his way. He always wondered what Sheriff McBain saw on the man, but he never could figure it out.

"Morning to ya, Beagle."

"Now that's Deputy Beagle, Mr. Nash. We cannot allow ourselves to forget proper formalities."

"Alright then, Deputy." Nash admitted. He went back to sweeping his porch.

"Actually, Mr. Nash, I wanted to inquire with you about a matter of law enforcement. The Mojave Express hires many individuals as couriers. Seem of these individuals are of a questionable nature and as Deputy it is my duty to protect this town and-"

"Deputy Beagle, please, it's too hot for this. Maybe another time."

Nash propped his broom against the door frame and turned to go back into his office.

"Perhaps a more thorough vetting process? I would be happy to offer my expertise to assist."

"Have a good day, Deputy."

"Ah, well. Maybe later."

Beagle frowned at Nash's back as the older man stepped out of the sunlight. The deputy scuffed his boot against the dirt and looked to the road. He saw a figure, blurred by the heat, trudging across the bridge into Primm.

"Now, see, Mr. Nash. This fellow here is probably one of your couriers. Just look at him. He looks beaten alive and, wait, what is that he's carrying?"

Johnson Nash came back out into the street to see what Beagle was prattling about and sure enough there was someone approaching. Nash squinted his old eyes to see better, but Beagle beat him too it.

"My god, he's some barbarian. Just look at him, he's carrying a corpse!"

The man stumbled to a stop in front of the two. Blood, sweat, and dirt was caked on his face. The battered armor he was wearing was scorched and dented from gunfire. As Beagle had said he was carrying someone in his arms. A young woman with red hair. The woman didn't appear to be moving.

"Now, sir, please remain where you are. I am law enforcement in is here town and I need you to put the body down."

The man cast an eye over Beagle, assessing him. Johnson knew the look. He was deciding whether Beagle was a threat.

"Please." He croaked.

His voice was dry and raspy. Nash wondered how long he'd been going for.

"She needs help." He continued.

"Sir, I asked you to place the body on the ground." Beagle repeated.

He took a step towards the man and reached out a hand to take a more active stance in the arrest. Quicker than a blink the man shifted the girls weight to his other arm and drew his pistol, placing it between Beagle's eyes.

Beagle's eyes crossed looking at the barrel.

"Now- now, I am not sure what I have done to deserve this sort of hostility, b-but I assure you-"

A gunshot cracked through the air. Nash flinched, believing the idiot's life to finally have been ended.

It hadn't.

The shot had come from behind them. Sheriff McBain stood with his smoking rifle pointing skywards.

The man swept Beagle's legs out form under him. Beagle toppled to the ground and the man kneeled on his throat. Beagle gasped for air.

He shifted the girl's weight again and trained his pistol on the sheriff.

"I highly recommend you release my deputy, son. This want end well for you."

Johnson stepped forward, coming back to his senses.

"Now, just wait a second everybody!" He yelled waving his hands.

"You said the lady needed help right? Well let's get her seem then."

The man looked at Nash. He couldn't read anything off the stranger's face, but Nash could tell the wheels were turning behind those eyes.

Sheriff McBain could as well.

"Do it, son. For her."

The man slowly lowered his gun and removed his knee from Beagle's throat.

Beagle scurried up from the ground and over to the Sheriff's side.

"Why thank you for the assist, Sheriff, but I had the situation well in hand."

"Shut up, Beagle."

-

Rob sank to the ground with Cass slumping on his lap. It had taken nearly all night, but he'd made it to Primm. She was still breathing. Weakly and barely, but breathing none the less.

The sheriff and Johnson Nash approached him slowly. He let That Gun and his and Cass' packs fall to the ground.

"You want to tell us what happened to her?" Inquired Nash.

"Vipers. It was a raid. One of them stabbed her. The poison it's-"

McBain knelt down to take Cass' pulse.

"Yeah, I've seen it before. We'll see what we can do, son, but I won't lie to you, she's faded pretty far."

Nash, shouldered him out of the way.

"Well we won't help her standing here. Beagle! Give me a hand with the lady."

"That's Deputy Beagle!"

McBain swatted his deputy on the back of the head.

"Will you get a move on? Get the girl, Beagle!"

Beagle grumbled something incoherently under his breath, but picked Cass up and out of Rob's arms.

Nash stood up and motioned towards the hotel.

"Set her up in one of the rooms, I'll get the doctor."

Beagle walked away with Cass. McBain helped Rob to his feet and took one of the bags from him. They followed Beagle into the Bison Steve. Nash burst through the doors a moment after with a balding man clutching a doctor's bag.

They entered an empty, but relatively clean room and Beagle laid Cass down on a bed. Throughout the entire time Cass had not opened her eyes.

The doctor frantically began rummaging in his bag. He pulled out a stimpak and threaded the needle into Cass' arm. He pushed the plunger in and waited.

Rob stood impatiently by the door.

"Well?" he asked.

The doctor checked Cass' pulse again and fidgeted nervously.

"Doctor, she's good right?"

The doctor turned to Rob. He shook slightly under his gaze.

"Well, no. Um, not exactly."

Rob lunged towards the doctor, he picked the man up by his lappels.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN NOT EXACTLY?!" Rob shouted at the terrified man.

Sheriff McBain wrapped his arms Rob's chest and pulled him back.

"Let him go! You want that girl to live? LET. HIM. GO."

Rob dropped the doctor and stumbled backwards.

The doctor straightened his jacket and continued.

"I have experience in broken bones and burns. Poison's are a little outside of my realm. I've stabilized her condition, but I'm not sure how long that will, um, last."

The rage slid out of Rob, but he still wasn't defeated. He hadn't carried her through the Wasteland just to be stopped here.

"Well, what other doctors are there, who do I have to get? Who can save her?" he asked.

The doctor stammered back at him, "I-I-I'm not s-sure. The closest doctor who might be able to deal with this is i-in N-Novac."

Rob picked his rifle of the floor and slung it over his shoulder.

"Guess, I'm going to Novac."

He rummaged in his pack and pulled out a few items to store in the pouched lining his belt. He then slid the pack next to Cass' shotgun and bag which were next to her bed. He rose and pointed at Cass.

"I will be back. Make sure she is still alive when I get here."

Rob turned and strode out into the hall. Sheriff McBain was close behind.

"Now, just where in the hell do you think you're off to?"

"Novac. Thought that was obvious."

"Not in the condition that you're in, you're not."

McBain stepped in front of Rob, blocking the doors to the outside.

"You go back out, you'll get killed."

Rob stopped and stared the sheriff in the eyes. A weaker man would have moved then and there, but the sheriff stood tall.

"Out of my way, Sheriff."

"Not happening, son. You're beaten, bloodied, bruised, dehydrated, and borderline dead."

"I've been through worse."

"Don't care if you have. You're gonna get torn apart with the state you're in."

"I'll be fine. I'll got a little bit of Med-X and I've got my guns."

"Yeah, right. Must be mighty hard to pull a trigger with that there finger."

The sheriff gestured to Rob's hand. The finger that had been broken in the gun fight was sticking at an awkward angle away from his hand. Rob looked at it as well and held his hand up before looked back at McBain.

The sheriff stared at Rob and Rob stared back. Rob grabbed his finger and with a sharp snap pulled it back into place. He ground his teeth together, but made no sound.

He pushed passed the shocked sheriff and out into the sunlight.

McBain let him go, realizing that he was not going to stop the man that had stumbled half-dead into his town not even an hour ago. Johnson Nash walked over next to him.

"Well, I guess we better make sure that girl lives. I'd hate to see what happens if she dies."

With that he clapped the sheriff on the shoulder and went back to check on the mystery girl that had been brought to Primm by someone who was more of a force of nature than a man.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Rob ran through the dust and the sand of the wastes, his gear bouncing occasionally where it wasn't quite strapped solidly. His breathing was beginning to get heavy, but remained even. His stride was measured and even.

Running had been something that had come naturally to him growing up. He'd had to modify tread mills in the Vault to work with his speed and his stride. That was something he had to give the Wasteland. Running through the plains and hills was glorious compared to the cramped halls of the Vault.

Despite all this his body was near the point of shutting down. The gun fight with the Vipers had taken it out of him. He was sure that there was a multitude of bruises forming under his armor. His finger throbbed and ached consistently, the Med X he'd swallowed only dulling the pain not beating it back.

The tattered remains of his jacket caught on a cactus. He slowed long enough to tear it from his body, leaving the remains in the Wasteland. It was shame. He'd liked that jacket.

Rob continued running as the sun set and the desert was overtaken in shadow. He was in no condition to fight with anyone right now and the night was the perfect time for an ambush, but he couldn't afford to be cautious right now.

Cass' condition was dire and not looking like she was going to mend on her own. According to the folks at Primm, Doctor Ada Strauss of Novac might be able to assist. The good doctor had a reputation for being a chem dealer on top of her normal medicinal duties and one of those chems might be the key to saving Cass' life.

As he ran he wondered to himself, not for the first time, "what am I doing? I barely know this lady. What do I owe her? I've got better things to be doing. Much more important and much more pressing things to do."

He wiped sweat out of his eyes and kept running. He knew why. He knew exactly why.

If he'd become the sort of man to leave someone in need, someone he'd known and shared a meal with then there was no point to his other duties. He would have already lost what mattered. He could give up and die then, but not now. He had far too much to live for.

In the distance a small amount of electric light ignited the Wasteland.

Novac.

He'd made it there. Finally. He could go in, find Dr. Strauss, take a quick breather, and then get back to Primm. He could make it back before sun up even.

He strode down the roadway towards the opening of the town. It wasn't a lie that Novac was guarded by Dinky the Dinosaur, a towering, faded green monolith clutching "the world's largest thermometer." A humorless smirk crossed his face at the idea of Dinky.

A sharp crack rang out and the pavement in front of Rob shattered up at him. He cast a gloved hand over his face, blocking the shards. Doing so caused him to lose his balance, but he managed to turn the fall into a roll.

He rolled into a crouching position and drew That Gun. A second shot rang out. Rob could feel the heat of the bullet graze past his head.

A sniper.

His carbine was slung across his back. There was no way for him to reach it before he was put down. There was no cover and no way. But he wasn't dead yet. The sniper wasn't shooting to kill.

Rob grit his teeth and threw caution to the winds. He threw his hands up with That Gun dangling from by its trigger guard.

"Smart move." Called a cold voice from Dinky's mouth.

The dinosaur was a sniper perch. Genius. The town had its own very well trained crack shot looking out for it.

"I need help." Rob called.

"So do a lot of people." The voice replied.

"A doctor. I need Dr. Strauss."

"Town's closed. Come back when the sun's up."

"You don't get it. Someone is going to die if I don't get to that fucking doctor right now!" Rob shouted.

"People die all the time. You can't stop it. Doesn't matter what they're dying from. Sometimes all you can do is watch."

Rob was perplexed. Something was clearly wrong with this sniper.

"Look you sound like you've got your own problems buddy. Respectfully I don't give a shit. I need Dr. Strauss. I need her now. I will be getting her with or without your permission."

"You're welcome to try." There was no hint of a challenge in the voice. Just emotionless fact. Rob wasn't getting past him. So he tried a different tactic.

"Look, it's obvious someone you know died recently. That's sad. It really is, but god damn it, we can't give up on the still living."

Silence.

"Hello?" Rob called with his hands still in the air.

"Come to the base of the tower. Try anything and your brains will be decorating the road."

"Cheerful fellow," Rob muttered.

He trotted over to the base of the dinosaur. A door opened and a man clad in a white t-shirt and khaki fatigue pants had a sniper rifle leveled at him. Unfeeling eyes peered at him from below a red beret.

Rob recognized the beret. He hadn't had many dealings with the NCR, but he would recognize a First Recon Sniper.

"Your friend, what's the matter?"

"Poison, doctors in Primm can't fix it."

"Vipers?"

"Yeah."

"I've seen it before. How long ago?"

"Look I already know how long she has and I know it's not a lot, so if we could get to the part where you let me get the doctor that would be great."

"It's not that simple. Someone's going to die tonight. You get to help decide who."

"What?" Rob asked incredulously.

"There's someone in this town. A murderer. I think I know who, but I'm not one hundred percent sure. You help me get solid info and I help you get your medicine."

"Why? Why do this? Why involve me?"

"You can be trusted. You're not from around here so I know you had nothing to do with it."

Rob couldn't risk wasting any more time.

"All right, fine! Do with what? What can you trust me with?"

"That's really none of your business. You just have to do what I ask." Replied the man.

"You're asking me to assist you in murdering someone. I'm no stranger to it, but I like to know why. You at least owe me that."

The sniper pondered this for a moment before lowering his rifle and pointing e barrel at the ground.

"Fine. Two weeks ago Legion came through town. We thought it was just an attack. It wasn't it was a slaving run. Here's the thing. They only took one person. They knew where she was and when to come. No one was in post. They just swept through. Someone in this town had to have given them that info. Someone sold us out."

"Who'd they take?"

The man narrowed his eyes at Rob.

"That's really none of your business. All you need to do is find out who."

Rob scuffed his boot impatiently. "And how am I supposed to do that? It's gonna be a little hard to question people when they're all asleep."

"You don't have to question. You just have to find proof. The motel right there? The woman who runs it, Jeannie May. She's the one. I just need the proof. There's a safe in her office. You get in that and we'll have what we need."

"Again, why do you need me? You seem like a perfectly capable fellow."

"She knows I suspect her and won't let me anywhere near that safe."

Rob raised his hands to the sky.

"Then go while she's asleep!"

"She sleeps in there. You go in, ring the bell, ask for a room, I make a distraction, she comes out, you get the proof, and we're done."

"Alright, fine, whatever. Afterwards I get Dr. Strauss."

The man nodded. "I'll get her myself."

With that affirmation Rob jogged over to the lobby. He slowly opened the door and stepped inside.

A small bell tinkled, announcing his entrance. He heard some rummaging in the book.

An older woman stepped into the illuminated office.

Immediately Rob's conscience made its presence known. How could he do this? There had to be another way. Supposedly this sweet old lady was rotten, but he had no way of knowing if that was true.

"Evening dearie, bit late isn't it?"

Rob jerked to attention trying to find something to say.

"My apologies. Got caught up on the road. I-uh-need a room."

"That'll be 200 caps."

"Say what? That's a tad steep."

"It's a fee for late check in. This is a business. You can pay, can't you?"

Maybe she wasn't so sweet. The woman's eyes narrowed with greed, but still, she didn't deserve a swift death.

Rob's mind raced trying to unravel the situation. He had to get to Dr. Strauss to save Cass. The sniper would gun him down before he got anywhere if he didn't do what was asked. He couldn't do what was asked if it was an unwarranted execution. The proof he was looking for had to convince him too.

With that Rob's mind was settled. Whatever he found would be his answer. If this woman had done what she was accused of then her fate was sealed. If not, well, then he'd have to go through the sniper to get to the doctor.

Morals were one thing, but when something was in his way, morals got looser.

"Yeah, I got the caps, but-"

Rob's voice was cut off by the tinkling of the bell at the door.

It was the sniper.

"Boone. What brings you down here tonight?"

Boone. So that was the former NCR sniper's name. Jeannie May's eyes held a distinct dislike for the intruder.

"There's a security issue with the motel. It's your motel so I need your okay to do anything about it."

"Can't is wait until the morning?"

"I have better things to do when the sun's up than to deal with you."

Boone clearly disliked the elderly innkeeper right back.

Rob stood in between the two awkwardly. Even if he hadn't known about Boone's accusations, he would've been able to tell something was amiss.

"Fine, Boone."

She turned to Rob.

"I'll be right back, dearie. Then we can get your bill squared away."

The woman's mind was still on money.

Jeannie May followed Boone out the door. This was the time.

Rob waited until they were out of sight before awkwardly hopping/falling over the desk. As Boone had said there was indeed a safe underneath. What he had left out was that it was locked. Tightly.

"God damn it." Muttered Rob.

He reached into one of the pouches on his belt and pulled out a set of picks. He inserted them into the safe's lock and began to jiggle them around.

He heard voices approaching.

With a timely click the lock clicked open. He pulled the door aside and peered into the safe. All that was inside was a bag of caps and a paper document. He left the caps, but grabbed the document. He shut the kid and scrambled back around the desk as the door opened.

Jeannie May stepped into the light.

"Now then, lets settle that bill."

"On second thought, I can't afford your bill. Sorry for the inconvenience."

Jeannie May gave an entirely false smile.

"Oh no trouble."

It clearly was.

Rob smiled and backed out the door. When the door clicked shut and Jeannie May walked back into her room.

Rob quickly scanned the document.

It was a bill of sale.

To Caesar's Legion.

The bag of caps was the price. The object -person- being sold was a Carla Boone.

Rob stopped reading. There was no chance there wasn't a relation to the sniper. This was personal for him.

Rob marveled at his restraint. He was waiting for proof. Most men would go with a suspicion.

He looked up. Boone was sitting on the steps up to his sniper perch.

Rob walked over.

"I think this is your proof."

He handed the bill over.

Boone cast a critical eye over it. In the darkness the tightening of his jaw was barely noticeable.

"Yeah, this is all I need."

Boone stood.

"Second house back from the motel is Dr. Strauss'. Go there and wait for me. If a stranger wakes her, she might shoot first. I'll be there shortly. I have some business to finish."

Boone brushed past Rob and unslung his rifle. He was heading towards the motel office.

Rob hesitated before heading to the house described. A single, solitary shot broke the silence. A few moments later, Boone walked out of the darkness.

"Boone, who was she?"

"Like I said earlier, none of your business."

Rob wasn't giving in that easy.

"Who was Carla?"

Boone stopped. He didn't turn. He didn't move at all.

"My wife."

With that he stepped up to the door and knocked, ending the conversation.

After a few seconds the lights flicked on. A curtain ruffled as someone peered through the curtains. The door opened and a woman looked out.

"Boone? What's going on? Is everything all right?"

"I need something for Viper poison. Now."

"What? I don't- what's going on?"

"Now, Ava."

"I don't have anything medicinal right now, Boone. What is this about? Who is he?"

Ava pointed at Rob.

"Something non-medicinal then. I know you have something."

"We'll, fine. I guess I have something."

Looking confused the doctor shut her door. After a few more moments of waiting the door opened back up. She held a syringe in her hand.

"Here. It's Psycho. It should burn the poison out of the system."

Boone took the syringe and handed it to Rob.

"Now are you going to tell me what's going on?"

"Thanks, Ava."

Boone turned around and walked away.

After a quick thank you to the doctor Rob hurried to catch up.

"Boone! Your wife, after I get back to Primm, I can help you find her. You said she was taken a few days ago, maybe we can find her."

"She's dead."

"She was taken by slavers. They wouldn't kill her."

Boone stopped in the middle of the street.

"I said she's dead."

Rob stepped around him to look him in the face.

"How can you be sure?"

"I'm sure."

Boone kept walking. He continued past the motel and right past Dinky.

"Where are you going to go now?"

"I don't know. Anywhere, but here."

"Come with me."

The invitation was out before he knew what he was saying. What was wrong with him. First Cass and now Boone. He barely knew either of them, but was willing to travel with them? What had happened to him?

"I prefer to be alone." Boone answered shortly.

"Come on." Rob asked again.

"Go save your friend... And leave me the fuck alone."

That was the end of the conversation. Boone continued into the night and soon enough it swallowed him.

Rob looked after him, but tore himself away. He had to hurry.

Slipping the Psycho into his belt, he took off running again. Faster than before. His legs were powered by pure will and motivation. He had what he needed to save Cass.

Soon enough he approached the final rise before he would see Primm.

As he approached he noticed something off. A slight light was showing above the hill. More so than the the town's meager light. Almost like a sunrise.

Rob checked his watch. Sunrise was still two hours off.

He slowed and crept up the hill.

Primm was burning.

The surrounding houses were nearly completely engulfed.

The casino was mostly unscathed, but several areas were covered with flame.

The hotel's higher rooms had fire bursting out the windows, but the lower ones remained untouched.

Something was wrong with this. Fire wouldn't spread naturally like that. This was an attack.

Rob unclipped his binoculars from his belt and raised them to his eyes. There were people running through the streets. Some getting gunned down others being beaten. He saw Johnson Nash and several others flee into the Casino and shut the doors behind them. Beagle was dragged into the hotel by several men. Sheriff McBain lay dead in the street.

All the attackers wore variations of blue clothing. On there backs were white letters.

"NCRCF?" Rob said quietly.

Cold steal pressed into the back of his head.

"Nice armor, mother fucker."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Rob froze. The gun twisted into his skull.

"Looks like today is my lucky day. I'm out of that fuckin' hole, we're getting a new home, and I'm getting some new duds. That shit looks bullet proof."

Rob's mind was racing trying to figure out a way to disarm the man behind him.

"Just hold on, now. Let me up and you can have my armor."

The man chuckled.

"I don't think so fucker. Let you up? So what? You can try to draw on me? Nah. I don't mind stripping a corpse."

Damn it. His captor knew what he was doing.

Fine. Time for another tactic.

"Alright fine. You caught me. I was going to stand up, break your hand, and shove my gun down your throat. I was going to just kill you. Now I have to get creative. Sounds fun doesn't it?"

The bluff worked. He spooked the idiot.

"Wh-what? What the fuck is wrong with you, man? You wanna die?"

"And to think you could have just taken my armor. I probably would have shot you in the head then. No pain at all. You're not a masochist are you?"

"H-hey, man! Shut the fuck up! I'll kill you!"

"Or what, you piece of shit? You'll talk about killing me some more?"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!"

The man drew back, clearly intending to hit Rob in the back of the head with the gun. This was his chance.

He rolled to the side causing the man to overbalance and topple slightly. Rob brought up one of his booted feet and kicked him in the side of the head.

The man attacked Rob and tackled him. Rob used the momentum of his rush to roll backwards and kick him over. The two scrabbled to their feet.

Both drew.

Rob's attacker's head exploded. Then he heard the gunshot.

A sniper shot. The bullet had arrived before the sound.

This time Rob didn't take cover. He had a guardian angel and he thought he knew who it was.

Sure enough a glint caught his eye as Boone stood up several hills over. He waved and pointed down the hill towards Primm. There was an outcropping of rocks. Some perfect cover.

Rob jogged down to the rocks. Boone arrived slightly before him. Rob called softly to him.

"Reconsider?"

"I haven't reconsidered anything. But I could use someone to travel with. Someone who isn't completely useless."

"Thanks. Nice to know I'm not completely useless."

"And if we happen to kill some Legionaries along the way I won't complain."

"I'm happy to hear that, Boone. Now then, what to do about Primm?what do you know you know about this?"

Boone peered around the rocks towards the town.

"The attackers are convicts. New California Republic Correctional Facility inmates. NCRCF was taken over by the prisoners yesterday. This must be there first attack. They're looking for a place to hole up."

As Rob listened to Boone outline the nature of the attackers a thought popped into his head. He knew exactly why he asked Boone to come along. And why he'd let Cass join him as well. He was damaged. He'd lost people. So had they. They knew how he felt. Misery loves company.

Fuck that.

He was helping Cass and damn it he'd help Boone too. His family may be locked away and lost too him, but that didn't mean everyone was screwed.

"Any questions?"

Rob came back to reality.

"Just one. How the hell do we get in within two hours? My friend in there isn't going to lost much longer?"

"She may be gone already." Boone responded without emotion.

"Thanks for the optimism, Boone."

"Just being realistic."

"Let's operate in the assumption that she is still int here and alive. How do we get in?"

The two looked over at the city. The inmates had begun to structure themselves. There were lookouts posted on the town's dilapidated roller coaster. Several others were patrolling the streets and a few were trying unsuccessfully to break into the casino where the civilians were. However, the bulk of them were in the hotel.

And so was Cass.

"Can you take out the lookouts on the tracks?"

"I could, but the noise would attract the rest of them. We'd be swarmed. Ideally we need to take out the ones on the tracks silently and then move through the town. I can snipe the patrollers and no one would be left to raise the alarm. Unfortunately neither of us can get close. I think we could try-"

"I can get in." Rob interrupted.

"What?"

"I can get in."

Boone looked doubtful.

"How?"

"Ever hear of a Stealthboy?"

"Yeah, the Nightkin use them."

"Exactly, but the Nightkin use the first generation model. That's why they're all so... Crazy. The radiation bleed off from excessive use isn't good for the mind."

Boone continued to look underwhelmed.

"Right. That's why no sane person uses them."

"I'm from a Vault. A pretty technologically advanced Vault."

Rob pointed to his watch.

"Say hi to the second generation."

"Bullshit."

Rob smiled and pressed the face of the watch in.

He vanished. All that remained was barely a shimmer of air. Invisible at night and dismissed as heat during the day.

"Smaller, safer, and all around better." Came Rob's disembodied voice.

"When I take out the last lookout start firing on those on the street."

Boone nodded his affirmation and almost managed to conceal that he was impressed.

Rob ran across the Wastes slowly to remain quiet and undetected. He paused at one of the burned out houses and crouched in cover to decloak.

The Mark 2 was excellent except it still couldn't solve several of the original Stealthboy's problems. The improvements had mostly been based on safety and power issues. He wouldn't go crazy and it wouldn't die on him, but when cloaked it was quite difficult to see. The light being bent around him warped his view of the world. Simple navigation was fine, but specifics like this needed a little planning.

He nodded towards Boone's position. He couldn't see the sniper,b it he knew he was watching.

Rob peered through the cracks in the burned wall. Three lookouts were on top of the tracks. All looking out towards the Wastes. One guard was at the bottom.

Guard first. Then the lookouts.

With a humorless smile his cloak went back up.

The guard stood watching the road. He had no suspicions of his imminent demise. He didnt sense Rob decloak behind him. He didn't hear the knife being drawn. All he felt was it pulled across his throat. He gurgled twice before his body was dragged into the shadows.

Rob recloaked and clambered up the tracks, being careful to stay quiet. Despite his best efforts the wooden coaster track creaked.

The first lookout stared down into the darkness straight through Rob, but also where the guard used to be.

"What the fuck, man?" The lookout said irritably. He walked towards the edge of the tracks right where Rob was.

He opened his mouth to call out to the dead guard.

Rob decloaked right in front of him.

The lookout's words were caught in his mouth as Rob clamped a gauntlet over it.

He plunged his knife into the lookout's chest and twisted.

The escaped inmate jerked once or twice before going limp. Rob let his body fall over the edge of the tracks. It hit the ground with a thud.

The last two lookouts were chatting with each other farther down the tracks. They hadn't heard their comrade hit the ground.

Rob approached slowly.

"Can't believe the fucking townies locked themselves in."

"Yeah, don't they know we're gonna get in eventually?"

"Exactly, I just don't see why they- hurk!"

A knife protruded from one of the lookout's throats.

The other whirled around to see where it had come from.

"What the-" he started before Rob decloaked behind him and wrapped an arm around his throat. He choked him to the ground before violently wrenching the lookout's neck to the side. With a snap he stopped moving.

Within a split second, three shots rang out and the three men in the streets dropped. Rob descended as Boone ran into the town.

"Good shooting."

Boone shrugged. "It's what I do."

The two ran over to the casino. Rob rapped on the door with his gun butt.

"Nash, it's Rob." He called.

Silence for a moment. Then, "Rob? What the hell are you doing out there?"

He heard heavy objects being shifted and the door opened a crack. Johnson Nash peered out. His forehead was cut, but for the most part he looked fine.

"What are you doing here?"

"No time to explain. Where is Cass?"

"The girl? She's still in the hotel. I locked the door, but I couldn't get her out. I hope she's still alright in there."

"Damn it." Rob muttered. "Boone we're going in. Nash barricade the door. I'll be back when it's safe."

"I-what-where are you going?"

"To get Cass." Rob Said as he and Boone walked away.

"Wait! The NCR's coming. They're just down the road. We just have to wait for them to get some extra men!"

Boone looked at Rob.

"Trust me. There are no extra men. They don't have them. They'll wait outside the gates to see if the town can handle this themselves before taking action."

"B-but-" stammered Nash.

"Fine. We'll thin the herd a bit. Then they'll come in. Now shut the door Nash."

Nash stared after the two and then noticed the bodies in the street. He concluded that the two were perfectly capable and shut the door.

Boone and Rob stopped at the doors of the hotel.

"What's the plan?" Asked Boone.

"Shock and awe. We clear the first story. Figure out whoever is leading this gang and put em down. Then we get Cass and head back to the casino. The NCR can handle the rest."

Boone smiled coldly. He slung his rifle and drew a machete he had strapped to his pack. Rob drew that gun and nodded.

He stepped back and slammed his weight forward, raising a leg and kicking the door down. Boone spun around the corner and buried the machete in the neck of the prisoner next to the door. He drew his pistol and shot one more across the room. Rob stepped in behind him and shot the last two in the hotels entrance.

"Let's go." He said.

Rob walked around the corners with Boone close behind.

"Any idea where they are?" Boone asked.

"The head honchos of this group?"

"Yeah."

"I have an idea." Rob pointed to a sign on the wall that had an arrow pointing to the left. It was labeled ballroom. As they approached they could hear voices talking and smell meat cooking.

They crouched by the door.

"Can you recon with that Stealthboy of yours?"

"Won't be much good unless there's solace to hide in there. Can't see for shit when I'm cloaked."

"Damn. Hmm."

"Hmm what?"

"Your armor."

"What about it?"

"How bullet proof is it?"

"Pretty damn. Why?"

"I have an idea."

The prisoners all stood around a fire in the center of the room. A Brahmin was roasting over it. They laughed and chatted, talking about the conquest of Primm.

One of them was speaking to the crowd.

"Am those bitches hiding back at the prison aren't getting any piece of Primm. They didn't want to strike out, well that's their loss. But we get the prize! That's what you get for following me you bunch of bastards!"

"Oh good. Now I know who to shoot first."

The prisoners all turned. Rob was standing in the center of the doorway.

"Who the fuck?" One of the prisoners said.

The leader of the group around the fire and picked up a shotgun.

"Whoever you are that was a real dumb ass move."

He blasted Rob square in the chest. Rob was lifted off his feet and he hit the wall, the plaster cracking behind him.

"Well" asked Boone.

Rob groaned and said, "they're all in the center of the room."

Boone nodded and pulled the pin from the grenade he was holding. He released the spoon and tossed it around the corner.

"What the?"

"GRENADE!"

A shattering boom rocked the hotel.

Rob and Boone stepped into the ballroom and surveyed the chaos.

Bits of meat and firewood lay around the room. They couldn't tell what was the prisoners or the Brahmin.

A muffled shouting caught their attention. It was coming from behind the kitchen doors.

Rob pulled open the door to see one prisoner holding a gun to the head of Deputy Beagle. Apparently they'd taken him prisoner.

"I would appreciate of you do what he says. I am caught in quite a predicament."

"Shut up!" Shouted the prisoner.

"Now, sir. I understand you are under some stress, but that does not mean you should be impolite." Continued Beagle.

"I said shut the fuck up!" The prisoner pressed the gun against Beagle's temple.

"Ah-ah, please now sir, be rational."

"Why won't you SHUT. THE. FUCK. UP!"

"Well, I believe it is because-"

Boone cut him off by shooting the prisoner in between the eyes.

"Oh my. Thank you, sirs. If their is anything I can do to assist in the liberation of Primm, just let me know."

"Go tell the soldiers outside the bridge that we've cut the head off the prisoners and thinned their ranks. That should be enough to get them in here."

"Ah, yes. Of course. I will do so now that I have freed myself from this situation."

The deputy walked past his rescuers without another word.

Rob frowned at him as he left the room.

"I really dislike him."

The corners of Boone's mouth twitched up almost not a smile.

The two of them stepped back into the hall.

"Cass' is in a room around the corner. Cover the stairs. Anyone else in the building heard the blast."

Boone nodded before kicking over a table and drawing his sniper rifle. He crouched behind the table and took aim at the stairs.

Rob ran around the corner towards the room Cass had been in.

He stopped.

The door was open a crack.

He slowly opened the door and looked in.

Cass lay on the bed.

Her clothes lay on the floor.

One of the prisoners stood next to the bed buckling his belt up.

That Gun hit the floor with a clatter.

The inmate whirled around, but Rob was on him in a flash.

His mind was red with rage. His hands wrapped around the inmate's throat and slammed him against the wall. He lifted him from the ground.

The inmate's legs kicked in the air.

All rational thought was gone from Rob's mind.

How dare he!

How dare he touch her!

He hurt her!

No one hurt Gabriela!

NO ONE!

Suddenly Rob was confused. Where was he? This wasn't the Vault. And Cass wasn't his daughter. What had happened?

His hands slipped from the prisoner's throat and he hit the ground gasping for breath.

Rob took a step back, his hands shaking.

A single gunshot rang out, breaking the silence as a bullet tore through the prisoner's head.

Rob turned. Cass stood with a bed sheet clutched to herself. She was holding That Gun with a smoking barrel.

"Cass?" Rob said quietly.

Cass dropped That Gun and looked at the body on the ground before her eyes rolled into the back off her head and she slumped to the ground. She began convulsing violently.

Rob grabbed her head and held it.

"Oh, no, no, no, no!"

His fingers scrabbled for the Psycho on his belt.

"Don't be too late." He said.

"He raised the syringe before slamming it down into Cass chest.

Cass eyes ripped open and she screamed.

She gasped for air as the chem flooded through her system burning the poison out.

"I-I-what's- Rob?" She said before slumping against him, unconscious.

"Yeah. It's me." He said quietly.

He wrapped the sheet around her and holstered That Gun before picking her up.

"Boone." He yelled. "We're out of here."

With Cass in his arms and Boone at his side, Rob exited the Bison Steve Hotel. Soldiers were running up the street and Johnson Nash was yelling for them to get inside.

Rob and Boone ran into the Vicky and Vance Casino.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"Hey."

"Hey, there."

"I just wanted to... You know... Thank you again. For saving me."

Rob looked up as Cass sat next to him. She still had the bed sheet wrapped around herself. The NCR soldiers had not yet declared the town clear as of yet so no one had been able to retrieve her clothes.

Rob looked her up and down. She was still pale. The Psycho had definitely rid her of the poison, but her body had still been through a ringer.

His eyes stopped at her wrists. There were bruises forming in the shape of fingers. She caught him looking and pulled the sheet over her wrists.

"I'm fine, Rob."

"No you're not."

"I am. I feel fine."

Rob rose to his feet. He couldn't be around Cass right now.

"That's the Psycho. You're high as a kite. It'll sink in later."

He turned to walk away. Cass stood up and followed him in between the slot machines.

"What the fuck is wrong with you? You're acting weird."

"Nothing's wrong with me, Cass."

"Then why won't you talk to me."

"Nothing to talk about."

Cass stopped at the top of the steps, her toes gripping the first stair.

"What did you see?"

Rob stopped. He slowly turned to face her.

"What do you mean?"

"What did you see in the hotel? When I was- when you saved me. What did you see? I could see it in your eyes. You were a million miles away."

"You don't know what you saw. It was just the fever."

"Don't tell me I'm crazy."

She descended the steps and walked up to him. She shifted the sheet to let one of her arms free. She jabbed a finger into his chest.

"Don't. Tell me the truth. What did you see?"

Rob was silent for a moment.

"I saw her."

"Who?"

"My daughter. I saw her there. In your place. I don't know why. I just- I did."

Cass' mouth hung open a little. She closed it and wrapped her arms around Rob in a hug.

"I'm so sorry, Rob."

"Hey. Hey. Nothing to be sorry about."

She kept hugging him.

"I'm sorry about your kid, Rob. And thank you for saving my ass again. We're all going to be fine. It's going to be alright."

Rob awkwardly patted her on the back.

"Wow. You're really nice when you're high."

Cass pushed herself off Rob's chest and held her palms on his shoulders.

"For the last time I'm not HIGH!"

Rob averted his eyes.

"Really? You dropped your sheet about twenty seconds ago."

Cass gasped before punching him in the chest and pulling the sheet back up to protect her modesty. Her cheeks had turned almost as red as her hair.

"Ouch, Cass. It's like you've never walked around naked in public before."

"Not when I was sober!"

Her lip began to wobble and tears began to well up in her eyes.

"And not after I was- I was- what he did to me."

She sank to her knees. Rob could tell she was biting back a full on panic attack, but the tough girl wouldn't give in. She bit back the sobs and steeled herself.

Rob knelt down next to her. "Hey, I'm sorry. That was tactless."

He put an arm around her shoulder and picked her up to her feet.

"Come on. Time for you to meet Boone."

She nodded miserably and followed him over to the corner table where Boone was seated.

"Boone, this is Cass. Cass, this is Boone."

Boone nodded and said, "ma'am."

Cass narrowed her eyes at him.

"I'm not a ma'am. I'm not old enough to be a ma'am."

Boone's eyes widened a little a bit in surprise, but he nodded his head.

"So I guess I'm supposed to thank you for helping to save me."

"I suppose you are."

Cass raised an eyebrow at him.

"Are you always this monotone?"

"Are you always this... Naked?"

Cass plopped down in one of the chairs and glared at him.

Rob sat down in the remaining chair smiling.

"Well, now that you two are acquainted we can move on to the fun stuff."

Both Boone and Cass turned their hostile eyes on him.

"Yeah, this is gonna be great."

Luckily, that was the moment several NCR troopers entered the hall.

"Folks," one of them called, "your town has been cleared. The Powder Gangers are no longer a threat."

This announcement was met with cheers from the Primm citizens, but a low snort from Boone.

Rob asked, "What?"

"The NCR doesn't have the man power or the time to deal with the Powder Gangers. They wouldn't have been able to boot them out of this town without our help anyway. No way they can take back NCRCF. Despite what that idiot in the ballroom was saying, the prison is a fortress."

"So you think they're a threat."

"Definitely an annoyance at the least."

Rob nodded in agreement.

With the lull in conversation, Cass stood up.

"Well, if you two ladies are done chatting, I would really like to put my pants back on if that's alright."

"Absolutely."

The three if them walked over to the hotel. The troopers were tossing bodies into a bonfire.

"Halt citizens." A trooper at the door commanded.

"We're not Primm citizens." Rob replied.

"Then what is your business here?"

Boone was the one who answered.

"We are the ones who did your job for you."

The soldier was taken aback by his directness.

"And what do you mean by that?" He spluttered.

"While you were awaiting for tactical support we dealt with the threat."

"And what do you know? We had our orders to await for support."

Boone's eyes grew cold. Well, colder than usual.

"Orders? That's what you do isn't it? Wait for orders? Wind up solider is what you are."

The soldier glanced at Boone's beret.

"You're First Recon, so don't lecture me on following orders."

Boone looked like he was going to strike the solider.

"Yeah, we'll fuck you both. I'm getting my clothes."

Cass brusquely diffused the situation as she pushed past the soldier blocking their way.

"Miss! Hey! You can't go in there!"

He reached out to grab her, but was intercepted by Rob who grabbed his wrist.

"I don't think so." He said before spinning the guard away from the door.

The soldier stumbled to a stop before raising his gun and pointing it a Cass' back.

"I said stop!"

Rob drew That Gun and pointed it at the trooper's head.

"I'd point that rifle somewhere else if you don't want a few inches taken off the top."

This gained the attention of several other soldiers.

Boone raised his rifle and put one in his sights.

"Back off all of you." He said.

"All of you stand down!" Came a sharp voice.

Another soldier stood behind the rest. Except this one wore a beret and had a lieutenants stripes on his shoulders.

"But LT-" started the trooper pointing his gun at Cass.

"I said now, trooper! Do not make me repeat myself again!"

"Yes, sir, lieutenant Hayes."

The soldier slowly lowered his rifle. Rob pulled back his pistol and pointed it skywards.

"You three with me." Said the officer.

Rob raised an eyebrow.

"Don't talk to us, talk to your soldier. He started this."

"I'm sorry, did it sound like I was asking? Lets move before I reconsider and arrest you!"

"Well, shit."

Boone slung his gun and Rob holstered his.

"But-my clothes!" Protested Cass.

Rob put a hand on her shoulder.

"Come on, Cass. I'm sure we'll eventually get your clothes back."

Cass furrowed her brow and glared at the officer and grudgingly followed with a disgruntled sigh.

"Goddamn it."

_Hope you all are enjoying this so far. If you have any thoughts remember to review._


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Cass sat between Rob and Boone on a bench outside the tent clutching her sheet.

"This fucking sucks."

Rob nodded in agreement. Boone had his eyes closed and didn't appear to be opening them anytime soon.

"I mean, I just wanted to get my fucking clothes. Then we could've gotten the hell out of here and gone... Where the hell are we going after this?"

"Goodsprings. There's some folks I want to say hey too. We can resupply as well."

"Who are you saying hey too?"

"Hopefully some people who will have a little information for me."

Cass looked intrigued.

"Information on what?"

Rob smiled, knowing that what he was going to say was going to infuriate her.

"Oh, you'll just have to wait and see."

Cass banged her head against the wall of the tent in exasperation.

"For fuck's sake! More of this mystery man bullshit!"

The lieutenant stuck his head out the tent flaps.

"Keep it down out here!"

Cass waited until he'd gone before giving the tent flaps the finger.

She looked at Boone.

"Did he give you the none of your business speech when he met you too?"

Boone opened his eyes.

"A man has a right to a little privacy."

He looked at Rob.

Rob pretended not to notice.

"Great. I can tell you're going to be a lot of fucking fun to talk to."

Boone closed his eyes again.

The tent flaps opened once more. The lieutenant and one of his aides walked out.

"Are we good to go, lieutenant?" Asked Rob.

"Well, now that you mention it, no. I need to go over you're stories one more time."

Cass rolled her eyes.

"Great." She muttered.

Lieutenant Hayes turned to her.

"Miss Cassidy first then. Head of Cassidy Caravans. Caravaneer license suspended by Ranger Jackson at Mojave Outpost. You left-"

"Kicked out."

"Left." Emphasized lieutenant Hayes.

"Left and was, lets see here, poisoned in an encounter with the Vipers?"

"Yeah."

"You were taken to Primm for aid and that was were you were when the Powder Gangers attacked."

The lieutenant turned to Boone.

"Craig Boone. First Recon Sniper. Honorable discharge. Moved to Novac. And now you've left. Why?

"Personal reasons. Lost my wife there. Had to leave." Boone answered cooly.

"And you were just passing by when you aided Primm?"

"Exactly."

"Right." Said lieutenant Hayes dubiously.

He turned to Rob.

"There's a note about you assisting Ranger Jackson with pest control. Nothing before that. No last name, no home, no nothing. Why is that?"

"I'm not an NCR citizen."

"Mojave born? Vault? Where?"

"That's really none of your damn business."

"Look here you little prick-"

Rob cut him off.

"I'm not an NCR citizen so if I haven't attacked NCR territory or citizens you have no authority to do anything."

"You did attack one of my soldiers."

"Self defense. He drew on Cass first."

"Has anyone ever told you you're an insufferable ass?"

"All the time."

The lieutenant stood silently for a moment before reaching a decision.

"Get the fuck out of here."

They stood to leave. As they were walking away, lieutenant Hayes shouted after them.

"And get Miss Cassidy some clothes! She's distracting my men!"

This time Cass flipped him off to his face.

"You know he's right Cass. Your legs really are distracting." Heckled Rob.

"Fuck you." She replied as they crossed the bridge.

They went back to the hotel to gather their things. As they approached the room they'd left their bags in, Cass stopped.

"Could you guys grab everything? I don't want to... Go in there."

Rob nodded and he and Boone went in. The body was gone, but the blood was not. The room itself looked awful, but it was easy to imagine that it would look even worse to Cass.

Rob grabbed his and Cass' bags while Boone grabbed the weapons and her clothes.

They stepped back out into the hall where Cass snatched her clothing from Boone. She walked across the hall to an empty room to change, but on her way dropped the sheet just a little early before shutting the door.

Rob put a hand over his eyes while Boone turned his head.

"Damn it, Cass."

"Go to hell, Rob." She called back.

Within a few minutes, Cass was back in her jeans, flannel, jacket, and hat.

"Good to have you back with us."

"Good to be back."

They stood in silence for an awkward moment.

Surprisingly, Boone was the one to break it.

"If we want to make it to Goodsprings before dark, we need to leave now."

Rob nodded and slung his pack over his shoulder. Cass did likewise.

After three days of chaos, it was back on the road.

And it felt good.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"Hi there, Chet."

Rob, Cass, and Boone had arrived in Goodsprings ahead of schedule. They'd strolled in with several hours left before sunset so Rob decided to resupply first. They'd gone to Chet's General Store for some quick shopping. The cantankerous store owner was none to happy to see them.

"Oh... It's you again. Here for more charity?"

Rob smiled at Chet who was annoyed at his presence."

"Ah, come on, Chet. It was just a jacket and a backpack. Some gear to get me on my feet and away."

"I'm aware of what I sold you. Well, not sold, seeing as you didn't pay for a damn thing."

"Doc Mitchell settled my tab."

"And he used his discount to do it."

Chet placed his palms on the counter and glared at Rob.

"First, you rile up the town by showing up half dead. Then you impose on my store and then when you leave, and only then, do you tell us the people who tried to kill you might come looking!"

Cass interrupted at this point.

"Someone tried to kill you?"

"It was a while ago, Cass."

"What the hell happened?"

"I got shot in the head, left for dead, didn't die. It was a whole thing."

"You got shot in the head?!"

"Not many people walk away from that." Boone said with some admiration.

"Look we can talk about this later."

"Yes, you can. Now either buy something or get the hell out if my store! We have a saloon for idle chit chat and in case that bullet screwed you up some, this isn't the it!"

"Fine, Chet, fine. Water, provisions, some 5.56 rounds, some .308 for Boone, and some 12 gauge for Cass."

"20 gauge." Cass corrected."

"Some 20 gauge for Cass then."

Chet tallied up their costs and busied himself gathering their supplies. He set them on the counter in front of the trio and pointed at the door.

Rob hesitated.

"Actually, Chet. There's one more thing."

"What?"

"That jacket you mentioned? Well, I could use another one. I really liked it and all, but I may have misplaced it."

Chet cast a critical eye over Rob's bullet scoured armor.

"Right. Misplaced it. That will be another 200 caps."

"200 caps? That's twice as much as last time!"

"I'm aware."

"Swindling bastard." Rob muttered before handing over the caps.

"Now get out of my shop!"

Rob, Boone, and Cass stepped out of the store and back into the dusty street. Rob slipped his pack off and put his brand new jacket on.

"Ah, much better." He said as he stretched his arms over his head.

"Now what?" Asked Cass.

Rob gave her a grin.

"Now we go find Sunny Smiles and say hello."

With that Rob turned and strode into the Prospector Saloon.

"Who the hell is Sunny Smiles?"

Boone shrugged and followed Rob. Cass sighed and scuffed her boot on the ground before joining them.

Rob was already walking over to the bar. He pulled a stool out and settled into it.

"Hello, Trudy."

The bartender, a middle aged woman, turned from the glasses she was cleaning to Rob.

"Didn't expect to see again. What brings you back to Goodsprings?"

"Oh you know, just traveling."

"Well, hopefully you're 'traveling' goes better this time."

Rob gave a short laugh.

Trudy looked up at Cass and Boone.

"Hi there, folks. How you doing today?"

Cass pulled a seat next to Rob and Boone sat in he booth behind them.

"We're with him." Cass said.

Trudy looked intrigued.

"Found yourselves some traveling companions, did you?"

Rob just smiled quietly.

"Anything I can get y'all to drink.

Cass cast a quick eye over the bottles of alcohol lining Trudy's shelves.

"I'll have-"

"She'll have a Cola. Sarsaparilla for me. Boone, you want anything?"

"Waters fine."

Cass made a face at Rob as Trudy uncapped a bottle of Nuka Cola and set it in front of her.

"You know, a few drinks in moderation can't hurt."

"It's not happening, Cass."

"Fucker."

Cass took a swig of the Nuka before getting up to go sulk next to Boone. Trudy laughed at the dejected behavior of the former alcoholic.

"Well, looks like you're all set here. Just let me know if you need anything else."

"Actually, Trudy, there is one other thing."

"What's up?"

"I was hoping you could tell me where Sunny was."

"Sunny? Haven't seen her today. Last night she said she was going to go chase of some geckos by the water pumps."

"Any idea when she'll be back?"

"Fraid not, honey. She could be back in an hour or tomorrow for all I know."

"Well, darn. I guess I'll just have to hope it's sooner rather than later."

"What do you need her for?"

Trudy wasn't meaning to pry, but pry she did. Rob wasn't falling for it though. The gossipy barkeep could stay out of it.

"Nothing in particular. Just a few questions."

Trudy could tell that Rob wasn't going to answer anything substantial so she went back to her cleaning and left him to his Sarsaparilla. Rob stepped backwards over the stool and joined Cass and Boone at their booth. He slipped in next to Cass and took a drink from his Sarsaparilla. Boone sipped his water from a glass while Cass sullenly, sipped her cola from a straw.

"So you going to tell us what happened?" she asked.

"Well, see, Trudy didn't know where Sunny was."

"I believe she meant when you were shot." Boone interjected.

Rob sighed and stared at his bottle. Cass could tell that he was struggling to tell them.

"Does it have to do with your family?" she asked quietly.

"Yes... Boone this will all be news to you so I'm going to give you the highlights. I'm from a Vault. Number 114. Short story is I got caught on the outside while my family was on the inside with a failing air recycler."

"You lost them."

It wasn't a question. Boone was just stating what he'd already figured out.

Rob hesitated before answering.

"Right."

"I see."

"When I first ended up in the Wastes, I spent a lot of time trying to open the door myself, but I had no luck. It was around the time I'd been reduced to banging on the Vault door with my fists that they found me."

Here Rob paused. It wasn't for dramatic effect. He was struggling to go on.

"Who's they?" asked Cass.

"Benny."

"Who's Benny?"

"Benny was the man who gave me hope. He told me had access to a broadcast system and computer that could open any Vault door. I just needed to help him and then he'd help me."

"You were tricked." said Boone. Again it wasn't a question.

"Not exactly, Boone. I honestly believed that Benny did have this system. I still do. He just had no intention of sharing it with me. He had me break into a Mojave Express office. I stole a package. It was a chip, a platinum chip. I never knew what it was for. When he had it he had his men, a group of Khans hold me down. Then he thanked me, apologized, and shot me in the head."

Boone silently shook his head while Cass failed to keep her mouth closed.

"How the hell did you survive. You got shot in the fucking head!"

"Luck. The bullet grazed my skull and ricocheted off. I was knocked out. When I woke up I could barely string a thought together either from blood loss or trauma. I stumbled into Goodsprings and the town doctor put be back together."

"My god. How long ago was this?"

"Barely a month ago that I was shot. Nearly two that the Vault door was closed."

Boone nodded his condolences, but Cass who had already heard part of this story was astounded.

"It's only been two months! How much air did you say was left? Is your family still alive? Are trying to find that fucker Benny?"

"The Vault has 28 days give or take a few minutes. As for alive, I have no idea. I can't contact them. And Benny? That's why we're here. I haven't been able to find his trail, but now I'm not looking for it. I'm looking for the Khans instead."

"Why the Khans?" inquired Boone.

"They were hired."

"How do you know?" asked Cass.

"Benny. He wore a suit. A very nice, checkered suit. He had a silver lighter and pistol. He wasn't part of the Khans that's for sure. My guess is he does business in New Vegas regularly."

"Oh." she said.

"I'm thinking the Khans' contract with Benny ended when they tried to off me. Several off them were a tad displeased with killing me."

"I doubt that." said Boone.

"I'm guessing you're experience with the Khans is as criminals and raiders. I had the flip side. They're also very honor bound. They didn't like the idea of my execution. My hopes are that they came back through Goodsprings."

"That's why we're here?" realized Cass.

"Exactly. Sunny Smiles is sort of a de facto town guardian. If the Khans passed through, she'd know."

"Even if you find Benny, you still don't know if he has what you need."

Boone. Ever the devil's advocate.

"What else do you suggest I do, Boone? This is my only hope!" Rob snapped.

Cass was surprised. This was the first time she'd seen Rob snap like this. She's seen him go into a murderous rage sure, but that was basically natural for anyone in the Wastes, but she'd never seen him lose his cool in casual conversation.

Boone just looked at Rob before quietly answering. "Make peace."

Rob frowned, but had regained his composure.

"Not my style, Boone. Not my style at all."

Their conversation was interrupted by the saloon doors opening again. They listened to several footsteps come in.

"Trouble." said Boone.

Rob looked in the mirror above the bar. Four men had come in. All four were wearing blue denim pants and jackets. He guessed that they said NCRCF on the back as well. The leader wore a set of body armor he'd taken from a guard. He pulled a pair of aviator shades of his face. His dark eyes complimented his black skin.

Trudy turned towards them.

"I thought I told you for the last time Cobb. I want no dealings with you."

"Well, that's too damned bad, lady. We want Ringo. And I'm getting tired of asking."

"I don't know who Ringo is and if I did I sure as shit wouldn't give him to you people."

"Now listen up. I would hate for something bad to happen to your bar here. Just think about that."

That was the signal for one of his men to smash his bat into the bar and breaking a bunch of her bottles.

"See things might get broken."

Cass looked at Rob. She could tell he was thinking of something.

"Rob, what are you planning?"

"Don't do anything stupid." advised Boone.

"Ha, me? Stupid?"

He turned to the bar.

"Hey, Trudy! You got anymore Sarsaparilla?"

"What?" asked Trudy, wondering what Rob was doing.

"I'd go back to your pansy ass drink if I were you."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Was I interrupting your gangster speech? I mean, really, something might happen to your bar? That was a tad cliché."

"Now, you're sunk, you stupid shit!"

Cobb and his cronies advanced on the trio.

Rob smiled at Cass and Boone. "Here we go again."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Easy Pete was rocking in his rocking chair. Just back and forth in the sunlight. Pete always enjoyed watching the sunset. Even though sunset was still a few hours away, he'd just wait. He didn't have anywhere else to be. All he had to do was take it easy. For a man of his advanced years he had no need to be rushing about or adventuring. He was content to sit on the porch of the Prospector Saloon and relax. Though even in his younger years he hadn't had any proclivity for adventures.

The name Easy Pete had been given to him early on and he'd never given any reason for folks to call him any different. He was Easy Pete.

And so when a man came crashing through the saloon's window and skidded into the street, Easy Pete nodded at the event and kept rocking.

"Son, you know there's a door for getting out, right?"

"Thanks for that, old man." Said Rob as he propped himself up on his elbows.

The aforementioned door opened and Joe Cobb strode out. He grabbed Rob by the scruff of the coat and hauled him to his feet.

"Ah, careful with the coat! It's new."

Cobb head butted Rob.

"Oof!" He grunted at the impact.

Cobb drew his fist back to clobber Rob in the head, but before he could, Rob backhanded him across the face with a gauntleted hand. Cobb's head snapped to the side, but he wasn't out. Or even down for that matter.

The large black man turned to Rob with a glare.

"Why you little..."

Cobb grabbed Rob by the throat and lifted him off the ground.

"Cass! Boone!" He gasped.

Cass looked out the broken window.

"You look like you're doing fine to me."

Cobb hoisted Rob into the air and flipped him over onto his back.

Rob hit the ground with a thud and a groan. Hard.

"Uggghhhh. Ouch." He opened his eyes to see Cobb raising his boot above his head.

"Oh boy."

He activated the Stealthboy and rolled to the side as Cobb brought his boot down into the dirt with a puff of dust.

"Where the fuck did you go!?" Shouted the confused Powder Ganger.

Rob reappeared behind him and gave a quick jab to the back of his skull. Cobb stumbled forward and then whirled around, roaring like a bear, his arms swinging for Rob, but he'd already disappeared again.

Again Rob shimmered into view behind Cobb and hammered his kidneys with a quick one-two punch.

The other Powder Gangers exchanged a worried glance at the turn the fight had taken and stood to aid their boss, but were blocked at the door by Cass and Boone, weapons raised.

The Powder Gangers exchanged a glance. They were armed with bats and knives and only one gun between the three of them.

"Yeah. Try it." Cass goaded.

Outside Cobb was slowly losing it. Rob had continued to land critical hits all over him and the gangster was slowing down. Again Rob materialized behind him.

"Boo!"

Cobb twisted around. The stealth field went up and Rob ducked under Cobb's swinging arm. He leapt into the air behind Cobb and brought his elbow crashing down on Cobb's head. The black man sank to his his knees. Rob stepped in front of him and drew That Gun.

"I think it's time for you to leave."

"You'll pay for this you bastard. You and this entire god damn town!"

"Yeah, I'm sure."

Cobb stumbled to his feet with a bloodied face. He glared at Rob with a look that meant all sort of violent thoughts. Rob stared him the eyes with his gun raised and nodded towards the road. Cobb looked as though he was considering taking another swing, but his survival instinct prevailed.

"Let's go, boys!"

The other Powder Gangers sprinted out of the bar and joined their leader in fleeing the town. Cass and Boone walked out of the bar and joined Rob in the street.

"I can still hit them from here." Said Boone.

"I'm sure you could. They're no threat."

"Doesn't mean they wouldn't deserve it." Chimed in Cass.

"Eh, whatever."

Rob brushed the dirt off his sleeves and pants and cracked his neck.

"I hope this isn't becoming a thing with you, bringing trouble into our town" came a voice from behind them.

The three turned around to see a young woman in leather armor standing behind them. A large dog sat at her feet panting.

"Hi there, Sunny."

"Rob."

"So this is Sunny?" Asked Cass.

"This is her. And you are?" Asked Sunny.

"Cass."

"And you?"

"Boone."

"I hope you're not planning on causing anything."

Rob laughed. "We're not Sunny. Don't worry. Those guys weren't with us."

"I know. Joe Cobb has been coming around trying to intimidate everyone for about a week."

"I don't think he'll being coming back anytime soon."

"I certainly hope so. Looks like you gave him a beating."

"He gave Rob one right back." Chuckled Cass.

"Thanks, Cass."

"What brings you back to Goodsprings?" Asked Sunny, trying to bring he conversation back on track.

"Hoping you can answer some questions for me."

"Fine then. Let's head inside and sit down. Cheyenne come."

The dog got up and followed her mistress into the saloon. Cass, Boone, and Rob followed the dog. They say at a table in the main room. Trudy brought over a tray of Nuka Cola.

"Thanks for chasing off Cobb. The cola's on the house."

"Oh, yippee." Muttered Cass before pulling the cap of her Nuka.

"Thanks, Trudy." Said Sunny. Sunny grabbed one of the bottles and popped the cap off along the edge of the table. She slowly sipped at it and stared across the table at Boone and Rob. Neither of the men had taken the offered drinks and sat in silence. For Boone this was nothing new, but Cass could tell Rob was looking for the right way to broach the subject of what he was looking for without actually telling Sunny a goddamn thing.

"For fuck's sake!" Cried Cass, breaking the uneasy silence. She slammed the rest of the cola before grabbing the one sitting unloved in front of Boone.

"You know, I'm not trying to break your alcoholism just so you can replace it with another habit." Smirked Rob. The man was being obnoxious, but Cass could tell he meant no offense.

"Bite me." She said. "And don't try to change the subject. You've got something to ask so ask it."

Sunny raised her eyebrows at Rob.

"Well?" She inquired expectantly.

"Fine. Fine. Sunny, when I stumbled into Goodsprings, I was babbling about what had happened to me I'm sure. I don't know what I said then, but afterwards on my way out, I asked you to keep an eye out for certain individuals who would likely not be friendly with the town."

"You did." Sunny scratched Cheyenne behind the ears.

"Asides Mr. Cobb, we haven't had any trouble."

Rob sat back in his chair, a brief look of disappointment mixed with anger crossed his brow. He finally uncapped his soda and unhappily took a swig.

"Damn. Well, thanks anyway, Sunny."

"I said we didn't have any trouble. We certainly had some questionable individuals come through though."

Rob jerked forward. "What? When? What did they look like? Where were they headed?"

"Well, they said-"

"Was there a man in a checkered suit with them?"

"Rob, shut up! Let the lady talk!" Snapped Cass. She'd finished her second Nuka. She reached under Rob's arms and snagged his as well.

"Thank you." She said without actually asking

"Hey!" He cried.

"I'm at a bar with nothing to drink, but soda. This is a stressful time for me. Piss off."

Sunny cut her off and continued again. "We had several visitors, but only one group you'd be interested in. Three people. All wearing the same uniform. Jeans with leather armor pieces and leather vests. The vests had an armored skull emblazoned on the back."

"Definitely the Khans." Interjected Boone.

"Could have been." Agreed Sunny.

"No way it wasn't. Their reputation precedes them. No one would be dumb enough to walk around in Khan gear without being a member." Continued the sniper.

"No suit though?" Interrupted Rob.

"No. No suit." Reported Sunny.

Rob stroked the stubble on his face thoughtfully. His look was pensive as he tried to connect all the dots in his head.

"They came through and bought supplies?" He asked. Sunny nodded and sipped from her drink. "Well, if they didn't come in guns blazing that means they needed whatever they bought. Means they had a stretch of road ahead of them. I guess we could go ask Chet how much they bought. Could give us a clue as to how far they're going."

"Ha." Cass snorted humorlessly. "Like that bastard's going to tell you anything."

Even Boone looked slightly amused at the idea of Rob having to ask Chet for a favor.

Sunny smiled. Rob stopped his thinking.

"You've got more. Don't you, Sunny?"

"In a manner of speaking."

"Do tell."

"I saw the Khans, if that's what they were, when I was walking Cheyenne. They were on their way out of town. I heard one of them say, 'Benny'll meet us in Boulder. Then we get paid for this.'" She stopped talking. The look on Rob's face had stopped her.

His eyes had gone cold as soon as she'd mentioned Benny.

"Look, Rob. All I know is you came into this town with a bullet in your head. I don't know why you're looking for this man, but vengeance isn't worth it. It never is."

Rob stood up and slung his pack over his shoulder. Cass hurriedly finished drinking her pilfered soda and rose with Boone.

"This isn't vengeance, Sunny. Not yet at any rate. Right now I suppose we classify it as a rescue mission. Sunny, you have no idea how helpful you've been."

The cold look on his face had vanished and was replaced by a smile. He looked almost hopeful. Or as hopeful as someone with his circumstances should reasonably be.

"We'll see you around, Sunny." He turned from the table and slid his sunglasses over his eyes. "Cass, Boone, time to hit the road!"

"It's almost sunset!" Protested Sunny.

"Got places to be!" Smiled Rob. "And besides, we can take care of each other. We'll be fine."

Boone followed Rob out the door. Cass gave Sunny a brief smile and wave before running out after them. She caught them a few meters down the road. They were walking away from the highway.

"In case you hadn't noticed, Boulder City is the other way!" She yelled.

"I noticed."

"Then why are we going west?" Asked Boone.

"We have a stop to make."

"Where?" Asked Cass and Boone simultaneously.

"We're going home." Rob dramatically turned and pointed over the hills.

"Vault 114."

_If you're enjoying the story so far, leave a review. It can be what you like, who you like, what you don't like, who you don't like, what you want to see, etc. Even something as simple as "I like this" brightens my day. So do it for me and if not for me then for the children._


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